Land in Mississauga and you’ve already arrived at your next great adventure. As one of Canada’s most diverse cities, Mississauga has the ability to transport you around the world through its vibrant food scene and lively festivals while also offering you peaceful settings to appreciate contemporary art and tranquil nature escapes when you need them. This unassuming city surprises in all the right ways.
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This guide was created in partnership with Visit Mississauga and written by Go Canada staff.
Featuring lakefront parks to bustling plazas, Mississauga is Ontario’s quietly confident cultural hub. Mississauga is not only a major point of arrival, it’s a destination worth sticking around for. This is where Canada’s multicultural identity is more than a tagline; it’s a lived, tasted, and shared experience.
More Than a Stopover
If you’ve flown into Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s busiest airport, you’ve actually landed in Mississauga. But too often, visitors touch down and are quickly drawn toward familiar cityscapes or captivating natural attractions further afield. Move on too fast, though, and you risk missing out on something truly special.
With nearly 800,000 residents and more than half of them born outside of Canada, Mississauga is one of the most culturally rich cities in the country. It's also home to more than 140 languages spoken, with strong communities from South Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, East Asia, and Eastern Europe. What that means for visitors is simple: some of the best and most authentic international food, festivals, and experiences in the country are tucked into this often-overlooked part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Neighbourhood Kitchens, Global Plates
In Mississauga, the best bites often come from the most unexpected places: strip mall plazas, food courts, and family-run shops filled with loyal locals.
In Meadowvale, Guru Lukshmi draws dosa devotees from across the region with its Michelin-recognised South Indian vegetarian menu. The dosas are paper-thin and platter-sized, and the chutneys taste like they came straight from southern India. Just a short drive north in the Derry West neighbourhood, Rick’s Good Eats blends bold Northern Indian flavours with Canadian classics in a way that feels both comforting and creative. Their playful menu mashups include butter chicken poutine and masala burgers.
In Clarkson Village, Truscott Italian Bakery has been a family-run staple for decades, known for its fresh bread, arancini, and hot table lunches.
Not too far away, just south of the massive Square One Shopping Centre, Lazar Famous Deli & Bakery serves flaky Portuguese custard tarts and pillowy sweet bread; some say it’s the best pastel de nata this side of Lisbon. Just around the corner in the same plaza, Roman Zaman serves rich Syrian stews, grilled meats, and warm flatbread in a Damascene-inspired setting.
If you’re after something casual and full of flavour, head to Bao Bar, just off Sherwoodtowne Boulevard near Square One. Their Taiwanese-style bao buns and Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches come loaded with crispy chicken, braised duck, or spicy fried tofu, making it an ideal stop between shopping or sightseeing.
Festival Season All Year-Round
Mississauga’s diverse spirit comes alive at street level throughout the year. Summer highlights include Canada Day celebrations at Celebration Square, Port Credit, and Streetsville, all filled with fireworks, music, and community energy. Looking ahead, the city will host a range of marquee events including Philippines Fest, Japan Festival, and Jackalope, a high-energy urban sports festival for skateboarders and action sports fans.
Year-round, the saugaLIVE program brings the city’s stages to life. From big-ticket concerts at the Living Arts Centre to indie acts and family shows at Meadowvale Theatre, saugaLIVE connects audiences with everything from Grammy-winning artists and comedy nights to children's theatre and experimental performance. The current season (2025-2026) features headliners like Tom Morello, Digable Planets, and STARS, along with shows like The Nutcracker, as well as community-focused programming across the city.
Art, Nature, and Unexpected Beauty
Mississauga’s art scene is anchored by the Art Gallery of Mississauga, which showcases contemporary works from local and international artists that often express the city’s identity. Public art installations can be easily found throughout the city, including vibrant murals on downtown walls and sculptures hidden in parks and located beside transit stops.
Looking for some peace and quiet? The natural beauty of Mississauga extends from its shoreline into its urban green spaces. The Waterfront Trail runs through 22 parks and the Rattray Marsh Conservation Area, where peaceful boardwalks wind through coastal wetlands. The Riverwood Conservancy provides forest trails together with gardens and educational nature programs for nature lovers.
Kid-Approved, Family-Ready
From chill rainy-day activities to immersive, high-energy attractions, Mississauga is an action-packed place for families. BRKFREE offers an obstacle course and action park for reflex testing while iFly Indoor Skydiving lets you experience the sensation of soaring through the air without boarding a plane. The need for speed can be satisfied by indoor karting at K1 Speed while the Minecraft Experience and Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest provide interactive story-based entertainment suitable for all ages.
Did You Know?
- Mississauga has more residents than Vancouver, Halifax, or Quebec City.
- It’s just 90 minutes to Niagara Falls, making it a natural launchpad for a two-city trip.
- The Square One Shopping Centre is the second largest mall in Canada, and the largest in Ontario with over 300 stores and 100+ dining options
- Mississauga will host several major national sporting events, including the 2025 Ball Hockey Nationals and CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament, the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, as well as international events like the 2026 APIK urban winter sports competition.
Why Mississauga Now?
In a time when travellers seek authenticity and diversity, Mississauga delivers. It’s both proudly Canadian and unmistakably global. You can land in the country, taste five continents’ worth of cuisine in a single day, take in a lakeside sunset, and still be within reach of major travel corridors.
Whether you are planning a weekend escape or making it your first stop in the country, Mississauga gives you a taste of the Canada behind the headlines that is vibrant, lived-in, and full of surprises.
For more information and resources about travel in Mississauga, head over to Visit Mississauga and follow @visitmississauga on Instagram and Facebook.
Go Canada Staff
Editorial
Go Canada is a digital travel publication dedicated to being a trusted resource for information and inspiration for those traveling to and within Canada. Our mission is to showcase the very best Canada has to offer while making travel planning and trip preparation enjoyable and easy. Our staff is a diverse group of travel experts, writers, and content creators who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and love for Canada.
